OC Man Claims US Mr Gay Title
By Stan Jenson
Nearly a decade ago, several gay San Francisco residents banded together to create an organization that channeled the stereotypical image of gay men. Creating the Noble Beast Foundation, the members devised a competition to bring visibility to the group and give recognition to someone who embodied the perfect balance of looks, intelligence, philanthropy and diplomacy. First calling the title “Cutest in the Castro,” the organization eventually renamed the contest “Mr. Gay USA” to broaden its appeal and contestant pool.
Adam Boyles, born and raised in Orange County, became aware of the Mr. Gay USA competition shortly after graduating summa cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles. Although Boyles has identified himself as gay since he was a teenager, he didn’t announce it to his parents until a year ago.
Boyles submitted his photo and scholastic details, and became a finalist. The first phase of the Mr. Gay USA competition is handled online, with the competitors’ stories and photos posted on a website where visitors can vote. Boyles was the second-highest vote earner, which easily moved him onto the finals, held in Dallas during Thanksgiving weekend in 2009.
The two-day competition included individual interviews, formalwear, swimwear, teambuilding, athleticism and a philanthropy segment, which involved fund raising. A diploma from UCLA certainly gave Boyles an edge in the personal interview. And a glance at his picture showed that the swimwear and athleticism categories weren’t much of a challenge for him. Along with raising $700 from friends and family for the philanthropy segment, Boyles proved early on he had what it takes to win.
The final night of the competition was open to the public and started with a dance number in which all the men performed a choreographed routine. Boyles’ years with Men Alive – the Orange County Gay Men’s Chorus came in handy and helped prepare him for the challenge.
Undergear sponsored the swimwear segment and presented the Mr. Undergear Photogenic Award to Boyles, who had already been awarded second place in Online Popularity. After the master of ceremonies announced the second and first runners-up, Boyles’ only competition was a man from Texas. When Boyles’ name was announced as the winner, his only concern from that moment on was how he could wear three sashes and hold two trophies at once.
Now secure with his title, Boyles stays busy with his job in clinical research, going to the gym and Men Alive rehearsals. He is also looking forward to the International Mr. Gay competition, scheduled for June 2010 in Switzerland. Orange County’s gay community is indeed fortunate to have this young man representing us around the world.
For information about Noble Beast, visit www.noblebeast.org. For information about Undergear, visit www.undergearstyle.com. For information about the clothing used in our cover photo shoot, visit Hilo Clothing, 2752 E. Broadway, Long Beach., www.hiloclothing.com.
THE BARS
The legendary watering hole Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand on the second floor of the Waikiki Grand Hotel has an open-air front and faces a large park. You’ll get a sincere “island” feeling while you are there. The bar is open during the day, with free Internet to check e-mails and a casual group with whom to share a drink. It is packed every night, with a cover charge.
A few blocks away, Angles is a bit more of a neighborhood bar, featuring free Internet and a balcony with a view of the busy sidewalk. On Sundays, it sponsors an all-gay catamaran sailing, which is not to be missed.
Behind Angles is Tapa’s, a bistro. It is so small, in fact, that you feel like you’re visiting someone’s home.
Late nights, everyone heads to Fusion, the city’s only gay nightclub, which is next door to Angles. And all of the bars have a mix of gay women and men.
For more carnal satisfaction, Max’s Gym, Velvet Video and Suzie’s offer entertainment with an adult twist.
It’s a good idea to spend a day driving around the Waikiki. Moped rentals, snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, a sunset cruise and luaus have all earned their places as tourist must-dos, but the best part of a Waikiki vacation is just walking down the busy sidewalks with lots of gorgeous tourists from all over the world.